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We analyzed how land-use patterns and changes in urbanization influence positive raccoon rabies cases in an established enzootic area. County resolution was used and the study area included all 159 counties in Georgia. We obtained data on raccoons submitted from 2006 through 2010 for testing at the state public health labs due to exposure incidents with people or domesticated animals. The land-use patterns were extracted from the US Geological Survey’s National Land Cover Database from both 2001 and 2006. Odds ratios were calculated on 16 land-use variables that included natural topography, agricultural development, and urbanization. An additional variable, Submissions/Population density, was used to normalize counties and to account for population bias associated with rabies surveillance. The use of this demographic variable was substantiated by GIS clustering analysis. The outcome variable was heavily right skewed and over dispersed and therefore a negative binomial regression was used in this count statistics technique. The final analysis showed that low intensity residential development is associated with raccoon rabies cases while evergreen forest offers protection. This study supports the hypothesis that the raccoon rabies enzootic is maintained in those edge ecosystems of urbanization. It is advocated here that the public health animal rabies database to include GPS coordinates when reporting wildlife rabies submissions for testing to improve the resolution when studying the disease ecology of enzootic rabies.

This thesis consists of three sections, all of which are linked to the ecology of infectious disease and the decline of amphibians caused by chytridiomycosis. This thesis represents a detailed analysis of factors that allow the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), to persist in the Peruvian Andes. Collectively, these three sections elaborate on the current knowledge of the disease, how it persists in an area, as well as recommendations for future disease mitigation. Chapter one is a review of environmental and biological factors that contribute to the persistence of Bd. Here we address the use of biotic and abiotic reservoirs by the pathogen that allow Bd to persist. Biological reservoirs include both amphibian and non-amphibian hosts, thus allowing Bd to persist and proliferate when susceptible host densities recover. More than 40% of all amphibian populations are in decline and more than a third are at risk of extinction making it important to develop conservation measures for endangered and diminishing biodiversity. By understanding disease dynamics between reservoirs and other susceptible hosts, mitigation strategies can be developed to save amphibian populations from loss of genetic diversity or extinction. Chapter two addresses the current distribution and disease status of Bd in the Kosñipata Valley in southeastern Peru. We investigated the post-epizootic distribution and prevalence of Bd by examining trends in Bd prevalence across multiple sample periods. We modeled infection prevalence using logistic regression as a function of species, sample period, reproductive mode, life stage, and elevation and their two-way interactions. The most parsimonious model of prevalence contained two-way interactions between sample period and elevation, and reproductive mode and life stage. Overall we observed that prevalence varied over time; prevalence was higher in 2012-2015 than it was in 2008-2009. The interaction between elevation and sample period revealed that while prevalence decreased with elevation during the wet season, it generally increased with elevation during the dry season. We concluded that the prevalence of Bd in the Kosñipata Valley appears to have stabilized over time, indicating enzootic Bd. Long-term monitoring of infection in hosts is important because temporal patterns in prevalence and infection intensity are associated with changes in population abundance which could lead to future changes in the disease state. Chapter three examines Hypsiboas gladiator as a proposed reservoir species for Bd. We conducted field surveys to determined prevalence and calculated Bd loads across life stages, and calculated zoospore shedding rates of H. gladiator and sympatric species. Results showed that H. gladiator had the highest prevalence and Bd load, followed by Pristimantis toftae and then P. platydactylus. We tried to determine if prevalence and Bd load varied with distance from streams but found no direct evidence to support our claims. We also conducted susceptibility trials of H. gladiator to Bd. Results from our susceptibility trials are inconclusive. Shedding rates were higher in 2014 than 2013 for all species and varied by year. At this time we cannot determine if H. gladiator is a reservoir species for Bd.

Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging zoonotic virus within the Flaviviridae family that can cause neurological disease in humans and wild birds. USUV is maintained in an enzootic cycle between wild birds, primarily passerine species, and ornithophilic mosquitoes, predominantly Culex spp. mosquitoes. Since its first isolation in 1959 in South Africa, USUV has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Its emergence into Europe was marked by large die-offs, or epizootics, of the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula), as well as an increase in human cases. This dissertation sought to understand whether USUV has evolved to become more pathogenic in humans or transmissible in birds. We compared the pathogenesis of five different USUV isolates, four recent isolates: Spain 2009, Netherlands 2016, Senegal 2003, Uganda 2012, and South Africa 1959, in an interferon α/β receptor knockout (Ifnar-/-) mouse model. We observed significant mortality, high viral levels in serum and tissues in all USUV strains except for the Netherlands 2016 strain. Eighteen non-synonymous mutations were identified throughout the genome of Netherlands 2016 strain compared to the other USUV isolates. To further understand USUV infection in wild birds, we developed a physiologically relevant model of infection using juvenile chickens. In juvenile chickens, we found that the European strains were characterized by more pathogenesis and higher viral titers in tissues compared to the African strains. This work established the first viremic bird model of USUV infection. Passerine birds have been suggested to be important for USUV maintenance, however a species competent for transmission has not been identified. We first determined that wild-caught house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were susceptible to Netherlands 2016 and Uganda 2012 USUV strains. Following an infectious feed to assess enzootic transmission, house sparrows were able to transmit both USUV strains to Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, with the Netherlands 2016 strain being more infectious compared to the Uganda 2012 strain. The collection of these chapters provides great insights on the pathogenesis of distinct USUV strains, disease presentation in birds, and enzootic transmssion of USUV. Additionally, they indicate that USUV emergence in the United States is entirely feasible. / Ph.D. / Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause neurological disease in humans and wild birds. It is in the same virus family as West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus, both of which already occur in the United States. USUV is typically maintained by spreading back and forth between wild birds, typically songbird species, and mosquitoes with an affinity for biting birds, such as Culex spp. mosquitoes. USUV was first found in South Africa in 1959 and has since spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Upon emergence in Europe, USUV caused massive die-offs in Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula) as well as an increase in human cases. My work sought to understand whether USUV has evolved to cause more disease in humans or transmissibility in wild birds. We first assessed the disease severity of African and European USUV strains in an immune compromised mouse model. We showed that African strains of USUV caused more disease and developed higher viral loads than European strains in mice that lack full immunity. To further understand USUV infection in wild birds, we developed a relevant model of infection using juvenile chickens. In juvenile chickens, we found that the European strains were characterized by more disease and higher viral loads in tissues compared to the African strains. This work established the first bird model of USUV infection where birds developed infectious virus that is detectable in blood. Finally, to identify possible reservoir hosts of USUV, we assessed USUV transmission between house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. We found that house sparrows were able to transmit a European and African USUV strain to biting Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, with the European strain being more infectious to these mosquitoes. This indicates that house sparrows are competent hosts for USUV transmission and thus a potential reservoir species. The collection of these chapters provides great insights on the severity of distinct USUV strains, disease presentation in birds, and transmssion of USUV. Additionally, they indicate that USUV emergence in the United States is a very real possibility.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, B. garinii, and B. afzelii. These spirochetes experience environmental fluctuations as they are passed between mammalian and Ixodes tick hosts throughout their enzootic cycle. Recent studies have suggested cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP), a ubiquitous secondary messenger, is a key modulator of B. burgdorferi adaptive responses and may play a significant role in cycle progression. In this study, we examined the impact of the sole diguanylate cyclase (Rrp1), c-di-GMP binding proteins (PlzA and PlzB), and HD-GYP-containing phosphodiesterase (PdeB) in disease establishment of both murine and Ixodes tick systems. Strains harboring targeted gene deletions or plasmid-based constitutive gene expression constructs were generated. Rrp1 was required for tick colonization, yet overexpression abolished murine disease, thus implicating the requirement of finely regulated c-di-GMP levels for enzootic cycle progression. Deletion of rrp1 disrupted translational motion and swarming patterns by causing extended cell runs, eliminating stops/flexes, and reducing swarming capabilities. This was attributed to a defect in N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG) metabolism and chemotaxis. NAG is a major source of nutrition for B. burgdorferi within the tick environment; therefore this defect would impede spirochete migration towards feeding ticks, as well as pathogen uptake and survival within the Ixodes vector. In contrast, the downstream c-di-GMP effector, PlzA, was critical for murine disease but nonessential for survival within ticks nor functionally complemented by PlzB. Deletion of plzA altered strain motility and swarming similarly to the rrp1 deletion mutant, yet had a distinct phenotype with significantly slower translational motion and no affect on NAG chemotaxis and metabolism. This indicates B. burgdorferi could possess alternate c-di-GMP effectors or Rrp1 could be directly influencing these cellular processes. Uniquely, PdeB did not abolish murine infection via needle inoculation, but wasrequired for natural transmission from ticks. This defect was linked to the decreased tick colonization efficiency upon pdeB deletion. Together, these analyses indicate that c-di-GMP signaling is an important virulence mechanism of Borrelia burgdorferi and demonstrate the complexity of this signaling pathway in an arthropod-borne pathogen. The data presented here additionally provide significant new insight into the gene regulatory mechanisms of the Lyme disease spirochetes.

Dentre as enfermidades que causam alterações hematológicas em bovinos podemos citar a leucose enzoótica bovina (LEB). Podendo em alguns animais, determinar formações tumorais por infiltração de células mononucleares (linfócitos, pró-linfócitos e linfócitos atípicos), em diferentes tecidos. A doença possui quadro sintomático pleomórfico e alterações hematológicas, evidenciadas por leucocitose e linfocitose persistente, com aumento de formas linfocitárias atípicas. Desta forma o presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a atipia linfocitária em bovinos da raça Holandesa Preto e Branco em animais soropositivos com ou sem a presença de linfocitose persistente e animais soronegativos para LEB e correlacioná-la com a apoptose de células CD5+ e a proliferação linfocitária. Assim, foram selecionados 56 animais, divididos de acordo com o leucograma e o sorodiagnóstico da LEB pela imunodifusão em ágar gel e pelo ensaio imunoenzimático em: negativos (n = 25), alinfocitóticos (AL, n= 12) e com linfocitose persistente (LP, n=19). Destes, 15 animais tiveram suas amostras sanguíneas avaliadas quanto a proliferação de linfócitos e apoptose. Os resultados deste estudo mostraram que, a contagem de leucócitos totais e os valores absolutos e relativos de linfócitos atípicos foram maiores no grupo LP. Em relação aos linfócitos atípicos, os linfócitos sombra de Gümprecht, linfócito monocitóide e linfócito com núcleo duplo, foram encontrados nos três grupos de estudo, porém mais comumente em animais infectados pelo VLEB, predominantemente no grupo manifestando linfocitose persistente. Este trabalho demonstrou uma menor proliferação de linfócitos nos animais infectados pelo VLEB manifestando LP, associado a uma menor apoptose de células CD5+. Na análise da correlação entre a apoptose de células CD5+ e a porcentagem das populações linfocitárias entre os 15 animais, observou-se que a apoptose tem uma correlação positiva com os linfócitos com núcleo duplo, o que não ocorreu nas demais populações celulares. Na correlação entre a proliferação, foi observado nos 15 animais, que quanto maior a porcentagem de linfócitos menor é a proliferação e quanto maior a porcentagem de linfócitos monocitóides menor a proliferação, o que não ocorreu nas demais populações celulares. Portanto, a manifestação da LP em animais naturalmente infectados pelo VLEB, pode ser associada ao aumento de linfócitos atípicos do tipo sombra de Gümprecht, linfócito monocitóide e linfócito núcleo duplo e da menor apoptose das células CD5 + e da menor proliferação de linfócitos / Among the diseases that cause hematological changes in cattle can cite the enzootic bovine leukemia (EBL). And in some animals, to determine tumor formations by infiltration of mononuclear cells (lymphocytes, pro-lymphocytes and atypical lymphocytes) in different tissues. The disease has symptoms very pleomorphic and hematological changes, evidenced by leukocytosis, and persistent lymphocytosis, an increase of atypical lymphocyte forms. Thus this study aims to evaluate the atypical lymphocyte in Holstein Black and White in seropositive animals with or without the presence of persistent lymphocytosis and animals seronegative LEB and correlate them with apoptosis of cells CD5 + and lymphocyte proliferation. Thus, we selected 56 animals, divided according to the WBC and serodiagnosis of LEB by agar gel immunodiffusion and by enzyme immunoassay in: negative (n = 25), non- lymphocytic (AL, n = 12) and with persistent lymphocytosis (PL, n = 19). Of these, 15 animals had their blood samples evaluated for lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis. The results of this study showed that in total leukocytes and absolute and relative values of atypical lymphocytes were higher in group LP. Regarding atypical lymphocytes, lymphocytes Gumprecht shadow, lymphocyte and monocytoid lymphocytes with dual core, were found in the three study groups, but more commonly in animals infected VLEB, predominantly in the group with persistent lymphocytosis. This study demonstrated a reduced proliferation of lymphocytes in animals infected VLEB expressing LP, associated with lower apoptosis of CD5 + cells. In analyzing the correlation between apoptosis of cells and the percentage of CD5 + lymphocyte populations among the 15 animals, we observed that apoptosis has a positive correlation with lymphocytes with dual core, which did not occur in other cell populations. Correlation between proliferation, was observed in 15 animals, the higher the percentage of lymphocyte proliferation and lower the higher the percentage of monocytoid lymphocytes less proliferation, which did not occur in other cell populations. Therefore, the expression of LP in animals naturally infected VLEB may be associated with increased atypical lymphocytes of the type of shadow Gumprecht, lymphocyte and lymphocyte monocytoid dual-core and reduced apoptosis of CD5 + cells and reduced lymphocyte proliferation

Dentre as enfermidades que causam alterações hematológicas em bovinos podemos citar a leucose enzoótica bovina (LEB). Podendo em alguns animais, determinar formações tumorais por infiltração de células mononucleares (linfócitos, pró-linfócitos e linfócitos atípicos), em diferentes tecidos. A doença possui quadro sintomático pleomórfico e alterações hematológicas, evidenciadas por leucocitose e linfocitose persistente, com aumento de formas linfocitárias atípicas. Desta forma o presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a atipia linfocitária em bovinos da raça Holandesa Preto e Branco em animais soropositivos com ou sem a presença de linfocitose persistente e animais soronegativos para LEB e correlacioná-la com a apoptose de células CD5+ e a proliferação linfocitária. Assim, foram selecionados 56 animais, divididos de acordo com o leucograma e o sorodiagnóstico da LEB pela imunodifusão em ágar gel e pelo ensaio imunoenzimático em: negativos (n = 25), alinfocitóticos (AL, n= 12) e com linfocitose persistente (LP, n=19). Destes, 15 animais tiveram suas amostras sanguíneas avaliadas quanto a proliferação de linfócitos e apoptose. Os resultados deste estudo mostraram que, a contagem de leucócitos totais e os valores absolutos e relativos de linfócitos atípicos foram maiores no grupo LP. Em relação aos linfócitos atípicos, os linfócitos sombra de Gümprecht, linfócito monocitóide e linfócito com núcleo duplo, foram encontrados nos três grupos de estudo, porém mais comumente em animais infectados pelo VLEB, predominantemente no grupo manifestando linfocitose persistente. Este trabalho demonstrou uma menor proliferação de linfócitos nos animais infectados pelo VLEB manifestando LP, associado a uma menor apoptose de células CD5+. Na análise da correlação entre a apoptose de células CD5+ e a porcentagem das populações linfocitárias entre os 15 animais, observou-se que a apoptose tem uma correlação positiva com os linfócitos com núcleo duplo, o que não ocorreu nas demais populações celulares. Na correlação entre a proliferação, foi observado nos 15 animais, que quanto maior a porcentagem de linfócitos menor é a proliferação e quanto maior a porcentagem de linfócitos monocitóides menor a proliferação, o que não ocorreu nas demais populações celulares. Portanto, a manifestação da LP em animais naturalmente infectados pelo VLEB, pode ser associada ao aumento de linfócitos atípicos do tipo sombra de Gümprecht, linfócito monocitóide e linfócito núcleo duplo e da menor apoptose das células CD5 + e da menor proliferação de linfócitos / Among the diseases that cause hematological changes in cattle can cite the enzootic bovine leukemia (EBL). And in some animals, to determine tumor formations by infiltration of mononuclear cells (lymphocytes, pro-lymphocytes and atypical lymphocytes) in different tissues. The disease has symptoms very pleomorphic and hematological changes, evidenced by leukocytosis, and persistent lymphocytosis, an increase of atypical lymphocyte forms. Thus this study aims to evaluate the atypical lymphocyte in Holstein Black and White in seropositive animals with or without the presence of persistent lymphocytosis and animals seronegative LEB and correlate them with apoptosis of cells CD5 + and lymphocyte proliferation. Thus, we selected 56 animals, divided according to the WBC and serodiagnosis of LEB by agar gel immunodiffusion and by enzyme immunoassay in: negative (n = 25), non- lymphocytic (AL, n = 12) and with persistent lymphocytosis (PL, n = 19). Of these, 15 animals had their blood samples evaluated for lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis. The results of this study showed that in total leukocytes and absolute and relative values of atypical lymphocytes were higher in group LP. Regarding atypical lymphocytes, lymphocytes Gumprecht shadow, lymphocyte and monocytoid lymphocytes with dual core, were found in the three study groups, but more commonly in animals infected VLEB, predominantly in the group with persistent lymphocytosis. This study demonstrated a reduced proliferation of lymphocytes in animals infected VLEB expressing LP, associated with lower apoptosis of CD5 + cells. In analyzing the correlation between apoptosis of cells and the percentage of CD5 + lymphocyte populations among the 15 animals, we observed that apoptosis has a positive correlation with lymphocytes with dual core, which did not occur in other cell populations. Correlation between proliferation, was observed in 15 animals, the higher the percentage of lymphocyte proliferation and lower the higher the percentage of monocytoid lymphocytes less proliferation, which did not occur in other cell populations. Therefore, the expression of LP in animals naturally infected VLEB may be associated with increased atypical lymphocytes of the type of shadow Gumprecht, lymphocyte and lymphocyte monocytoid dual-core and reduced apoptosis of CD5 + cells and reduced lymphocyte proliferation